Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace isn't the most fondly remembered Star Wars movie, but for those that have grown up with it, it holds a close place next to their hearts. While most of the Star Wars video games surrounding Phantom Menace's release were just as maligned as the movie they were based on, Jedi Power Battles and the Phantom Menace direct tie-in game being great examples, there were one or two standouts. One of these is Star Wars Episode 1: Racer, one of the most underrated Star Wars games of all time.
Taking Phantom Menace's flagship action sequence and running wild with it, Star Wars Episode 1: Racer captures the chaotic intensity of the Podrace shown during the movie, while also expanding on it to flesh out the other racers and the sports' integration in the rest of the universe. A few years later, Star Wars: Racer Revenge would release, being a successor to the original N64 game. Though it wasn't met with the same critical reception, it did have some good ideas, and alongside its predecessor, it paved the way for future Star Wars racing games. Fans are still waiting for those, however. With the coming onslaught of Star Wars games from Respawn, Ubisoft, and more, a new Podracing game would make for a great addition to the slate, taking the groundwork laid by those original racing games and adding modern-day visuals and mechanics.
Star Wars Episode 1: Racer - Laying the Groundwork for Greatness
Star Wars Episode 1: Racer was by no means a perfect game, but it was an incredibly entertaining one. First released on the N64 and PC in 1999 to coincide with the release of The Phantom Menace, Episode 1: Racer was fairly technically impressive for the time, especially for a Star Wars game. The audio design was incredible, using sounds ripped straight from the Lucasfilm Archives to immediately capture that distinct Star Wars feel. The visuals were also above par, with each Podracer model looking sharp and sleek, while having enough detail to clearly resemble the movie counterparts they're based on.
The scope of Episode 1: Racer wasn't too ambitious. While the game allowed players to take control of 23 racers on a total of 25 unique tracks across 8 different Star Wars planets, the gameplay itself is quite arcadey in nature, tasking players with simply getting from one end of the track to the other faster than their opponents. But keeping the core gameplay loop simple ensured that Episode 1: Racer was a polished, fun product.
Outside the standard gameplay loop, there were a few extra mechanics that were core to keeping the player invested between races. The most important of which was Watto's Junkyard, a shop where players could purchase new parts between races. These parts would upgrade certain aspects of the Podracer, ranging from its top speed potential to its repairing speed. The parts in Watto's Junkyard would be randomly generated between races, rewarding players for paying attention by giving them a better deal on upgrade parts. This mechanic helped to push Episode 1: Racer over the edge of "just another arcade racer," keeping players invested throughout an entire 4-race tournament.
On top of that, a simple boost and repair mechanic helped to make the moment-to-moment gameplay feel a little more skill-based. Players would be able to activate a boost, which would increase the Podracer's temperature, eventually damaging its engines. Players would need to balance their boost, temperature, and subsequent damage throughout a race, making the gameplay feel just slightly more complex than normal. Star Wars Episode 1: Racer wasn't too groundbreaking, but it did lay the groundwork for future Star Wars racing titles, with mechanics that thrived on their simplicity.
Star Wars: Racer Revenge - Trying to Find Its Place in All of This
Three years later, in 2002, Star Wars: Racer Revenge was released. With the power of the PlayStation 2 behind it, Racer Revenge obviously looks and sounds better than its predecessor, but critics and fans alike were generally quite disappointed with the sequel.
In the eyes of many, Racer Revenge seemed like a step back for the Star Wars racing genre. Watto's Junkyard was replaced with a simple upgrade screen after each match, removing the haggling from the original, and the menu UI did little to immerse the player in the world of Star Wars. Where the original integrated its menus into Watto's shop, having various Star Wars characters walk around in the background, Racer Revenge features some plain-looking menus on some plain-looking backgrounds.
That being said, Racer Revenge does push the gameplay in an interesting new direction. Where Episode 1: Racer was focused solely on beating opponents through speed, Racer Revenge allows players to KO their fellow racers. Bumping into a fellow racer will lower their health bar, and if they don't repair it in time, their Pod will go up in smoke and they'll be knocked out of the race for good. This mechanic is very simple, but it works well for a Star Wars racing game and helps to set it apart from other cart racers of the time.
Star Wars Podracing: Standing Out in a Sea of Cart Racers
A new Star Wars Podracing game is needed now more than ever. When it comes to racing games in general, right now, the market is flooding with cart racers. With the blinding success of Mario Kart 8, still going strong after eight years, other publishers have started to take notice and have tried to push out their own version. Recently, gamers saw the release of Warped Kart Racers, an Apple Arcade exclusive that uses popular animated licensed characters to get people through the door. Later this year, Disney Speedstorm looks to do the same thing, only with Disney characters instead.
The sheer number of them released every year makes the cart racing genre feel a little over-crowded. A new type of cart racer that boasted completely different mechanics and a unique visual style would probably make quite an impact on the current market. A new Star Wars Podracing game could be just that.
Making a new Star Wars Podracing game seems like a win for all parties involved. For Disney and Lucasfilm Games, they'd be releasing a new type of racer that fills a gap in the market, with recognizable branding attached to bring in players. For the fans, they'd finally get a true successor to the original Star Wars Episode 1: Racer, with more fleshed out mechanics and visuals presumably on par with the likes of Forza Horizon 5 and Gran Turismo 7.